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(No Model.)

A. J PARKER.

LETTER FOR SIGNS. No. 429,813. Patented June 10, 1890.

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? UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

ALFRED J. PARKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

LETTER FOR SIGNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,813, dated June 10, 1890.

Application filed June 24, 1889.

T0 aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED J. PARKER, of the city and State of New York, have invented an Improvementin Letters for Signs, of which the following is a specification.

Letters have heretofore been made from both glass and porcelain, and in some instances such letters have had holes through them for the reception of wires or other attaching devices. In letters of this character the reflected light from the surfaces of the letters is objectionable because such surfaces have usually been either fiat or simply convex.

In my present improvements I provide for attaching the letters or characters to the signboard or other support by screws passing into notches on the edges of the letters, there be ing recesses for the heads of the screws or other attaching devices, so that it does not become necessary to perforate the letter or figure and thereby lessen its strength, and the attaching device, being at the exterior portions of the letter, holds the same more reliably than the means heretofore made use of, and I break up the reflect-ingsurfaces of the letters in such a manner as to produce a pleasing and artistic effect and at the same time avoid the glare and objectionable appearance heretofore existing with letters of this character.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents some letters made according to my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional view in larger size, repsenting the attaching device; and Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views illustrating the peculiar surfaces made use of by me for the letters, figures, or characters.

My improvement is adapted to any desired size or shape of letter, figure, or character, and two or more attaching devices are made use of, according to the size and shape of the letter or character. In the edges of the letter or character, at the proper places, notches are formed, as seen at A, which notches are sufficiently deep for the reception of the shank of the screws B or other attaching devices, and recesses O are formed adjacent to the notches A, into which the heads of the screws These notches and recesses are madewith ease when the letter is being molded or cast, and it is preferable to make use of Serial No. 315,306. (No model.)

flat heads to the screws or attaching devices B, and these heads, instead of being circular, are segmental, one side of the head being removed, so that when introduced into place almost all of the head is received within the recess 0, thus preventing the screw or its head projecting beyond the edge of the letter or character to any considerable extent. This mode of attaching the letter to the sign-board or other support is very convenient, and there is very little risk of injury to the letter when applying the screw or connection or in removing the same, and there is no possibility of the letter or character getting out of its place so long as the screws remain uninjured.

The vitrified surfaces of these letters or characters are subdivided or broken up, in order that the light may reflect from numerous surfaces or planes. These subdivisions of the reflecting-surfaces may be in the form of flutes or corrugations, as represented at H; or they may be ranges of dome-shaped projections or nipples, as shown at E; or they may be conical or prismatic, as represented at T. In all instances the refleeting-surfaces are subdivided and the objectionable glare from the vitrified surfaces removed.

In instances where the letter or character is made of transparent glass of any desired shade or color it is preferable to make the prismatic or undulating reflecting-surfaces upon the back of each letter, in order that the light reflected from such surface may be modified by refraction in passing through the glass.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a letter of this character with the edge flanges or ribs I, so that the letter is hollow, and the edges of the flanges I rest against the sign-board or other support and prevent dust or dirt passing in behind the letter; and I remark that in letters of this character the rear or inner surfaces of the letters may be covered with any suitable coloring material-such as paint or varnish.to vary the artistic eifects from the transmitted light.

I do not claim a glass letter with projections on the surface, nor a hollow glass letter, as these have before been employed. The notches at the edges of the glass letters are more easily molded than holes, and the letter is not as liable to injury by the screws or attaching devices.

I claim as my invention 1. A vitrified letter or character having 5 notches at the edges thereof for the reception of the screws or other attaching device, substantially as set forth.

2. A vitrified letter or character having notches at the edges thereof, and counter- 10 sinks adjacent to the notches for the reception of the bodies and heads of the screws orother attaching device, substantially as set forth. 3. A sign letteror character of transparent vitrified material, having projections upon IS the rear surfaces thereof to subdivide the forth. 5

Signed by me this 20th day of June, 1889.

ALFRED J. PARKER. Witnesses:

1E0. 'l. PINOKNEY, WILLIAn G. MoTT. 

